Full opening container end



Jan. 20, 1970 a. J. HENNING ETAL FULL OPENING CONTAINER END 4 She ets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 22, 1968 JNVENTORS. Gaozye J. Hamming, JwmesRMZu/smBY 6321339 L. Pla/npe/ and oseph/Scalw/ QM & W

ATTORNEYS 1970 a. J. HENN ING ETAL 3,490,643

FULL OPENING CONTAINER END 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 22, 1968 6aIfi/fVgfNTORS o e emu Jame 1%. MGwske? (ieofqeL. Fla/1204: wmioaephScwlw 6 W & 644M ATTORNEYS Jan. 20, 1970 HENM ETAL I 3,490,643

FULL OPENING CONTAINER END Filed Jan. 22. 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 5ATTORNEYS a. .J. HENNING ETAL FULL OPENING CONTAINER END Jan; 20, 1970 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 22, 1968 V 48 Geo INSE'NHTORS e e z/ JwzzRWu/ske? George Lflalwg wwJosephSaz/tm QM & W

a Fag. 25

ATTORNEYS 3,490,643 FULL OPENING CONTAINER END George J. Henning andJames R. McCluskey, Canton,

and George L. Plance and Joseph Scalia, Massillon,

Ohio, assignors, by mesne assignments, to Van Dorn Company, Cleveland,Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Jan. 22, 1968, Ser. No. 699,550 Int.Cl. B65d 17/20 US. Cl. 220-54 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An endwall member for a metal container or can formed with anend-panel-defining score line immediately adjacent the can side wall isprovided with a ring pull tab for severing the can end along the scoreline to remove the entire end panel so that the contents of the can maybe removed readily. The pull tab has special formations for readilysevering the end panel along the score line. The can end has specialformations facilitating easily peeling the end panel from the can andminimizing any tendency of the end panel to dip into the contents of thecan during end panel removal. The can end also is provided withformations to prevent damage thereto from movement of the can end duringheating and processing of food in the sealed can.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The invention relatesto an end wall structure for a metal can which, upon removal of an endpanel from the can end, provides a full opening for the can and permitsready and complete access to and removal of the can contents. Moreparticularly, the can end is provided with a ring pull tab structure andcan end wall formations, which protect against can end wall flexuredamage during heating of foods processed in the can, which permit a canend panel to be peeled easily from the can for removal, and in which thepull tab may be manipulated easily for can end panel removal.

Description of the prior art Prior removable can end structures haveincluded a prying lever pivoted or hinged to the can end which has apiercing formation that punctures the can end at a score line adjacentthe can side wall when the lever is moved. A lever manipulating pullring usually was associated with the lever movable relative to thelever. Sometimes a pull tab has been formed with an integral pull ringand with the pull ring movable relative to the tab body, and the tabbody has been formed and associated with the can end in such a mannerthat a considerable length of metal along the score line hasto befractured at one time during the initial severing of the score line.Sometimes the prior lever structures have been formed of sheet metalsecured to the can end by a rivet-like connection with the sheet metallanced around a portion of the rivet head to permit bending of the sheetmetal during manipulation of the pull tab to open the can.

Difiiculties have been experienced with prior structures, includingamong others the tendency to tear a sheet metal pull tab from the canend when secured thereto by rivet-like means; the requirement of arelatively large pulling force to sever the initial portion of the scoreline so that the end panel thereafter can be torn easily along the scoreline; resistance to readily tearing the end panel along the score lineprogressively from the extremities of the initial tear; the tendency ofthe end panel to dip into the contents of the can at the completion ofthe United States Patent ice tearing operation; damage to or bursting ofthe can end along the score line incident to drum action of the endpanel as a result of changes in differential pressure on the can endarising from heating and cooling of the can and its contents duringprocessing of food in a sealed can; and uneven stacking characteristicswhen stacking cans one on top of another, producing tilting incident tothe presence of the pull tab.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Objectives of the invention include providing anew can end and riveted ring pull tab construction with a pull tabhaving a minimum tendency to tear away from the can end during can endremoval; providing a construction which readily severs a very shortportion of the score line to initiate the tearing of the end panel fromthe can end, thereby enabling the end panel to be removed by aprogressive peeling action overcoming the normal stifinesscharacterizing a can end adapted to resist changes in relative pressureson the surfaces of the can end; providing a construction which inhibitsa dipping of the end panel into the can contents during removal andminimizing a lifting of the flange portion of the can end remaining as apart of the can at the upper end of the can side wall after end panelremoval; and providing for elimination of difliculties heretoforeencountered, and achieving the stated objectives simply, effectively andinexpensively.

These objectives and advantages are obtained by the can endconstruction, the general nature of which may be stated as including ametal end wall member adapted to be secured to the side walls of a metalcan by a usual seam, the end wall member having spaced outer and innerscore lines adjacent the seam, the outer score line defining an endpanel and being formed to a greater depth than the inner score line,thus providing a tear line on which the end panel may be torn from theend wall member; metal pull tab means, rivet means securing the pull tabmeans to the end panel within the inner score line, a series of curveddebossed corrugations formed in the end panel presenting concavitytoward the location of the rivet means; the pull tab means being formedof sheet metal with a top Wall, a recess having a bottom wall and anouter edge formed in one end of said pull tab top wall, a pull ringopening formed in the other end of the pull tab top wall, the top wallbeing formed with spaced parallel side edges connecting said one andother ends, louvers formed projecting upwardly of said top wall havinglocator edges extending perpendicular to said parallel side edges; arecessed channel having a channel bottom wall extending from said recessto said one end of said top wall, the bottom walls of said recess andchannel being in the same plane spaced below said top wall, the channelbottom wall terminating in a rounded nose projecting from said one endof the pull tab means, the recess bottom wall being formed with anopening through which said rivet means extends, the recess bottom wallbeing lanced around said opening; said lance including a semi-circularlance portion located closer to the rivet means than to said outer edgeof said recess, said lance also including spaced outwardly divergingstraight lance portions connected with the semi-circular lance portionand directed toward said one end of said pull tab means and terminatingin inwardly curled hook-like portions; the rounded nose extendingradially outward of and overlapping the outer score line when the pulltab means is secured by said rivet means to the end panel; saidhook-like lance ends defining between them a hinge area along which thepull tab means may bend when pulled to tear the end panel from the endmember, said pull tab means being formed of heavier sheet metal than theend panel, the end panel bending on a hinge area spaced from the pulltab hinge area when the pull tab means is manipulated to tear the endpanel from the end member, the curved nose wiping and retracting acrossthe outer score line and during such retraction forming a recess in theend panel below the pull tab means channel when the pull tab ismanipulated for end panel removal; and the end panel in small sized canend wall structures being formed with a pair of projecting bossestriangularly arranged with respect to the pull tab rounded nose, saidbosses cooperating with corrugations formed in the bottom wall of anadjacent can for stacking cans one upon another in a stack withouttilting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred embodiments of theinventionillustrative of the best modes in which applicants havecontemplated applying the principles-are set forth in the followingdescription and shown in the drawings and are particularly anddistinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.

FIGURE 1 of the drawings is a top plan view of a can provided with thenew can end wall structure;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section on a larger scale taken on the line 2-2,FIG. 1 of a can provided with the new end wall structure to provide afull opening container;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the can shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, withparts broken away, showing the initial stage of manipulating theimproved ring pull tab for end panel removal;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 3 showing a later stage inthe operation of tearing out the end panel;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on a further enlarged scale of aportion of FIG. 2 illustrating the ring pull tab in its normal positionprior to manipulation for end panel removal;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to a portion of FIG. 5 but showing the ringpull tab moved to a position similar to that shown in FIG. 3 in theinitial stage of removing the end panel;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIGS. 5 and 6 but showing the relativeposition of the parts as the end panel has been peeled further from theend wall member;

FIG. 8 is a view on a smaller scale showing the end panel and pull tabafter the end panel has been removed completely from the can;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view similar to FIGS. 3 and 4 showing theremoved end panel and pull tab illustrated in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a view looking upward in the direction of the arrows 10-10,FIG. 6, illustrating the shape of the end panel during the initial stageof end panel removal;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 1111, FIG. 9illustrating'the relation of certain of the parts to one another afterremoval of the end panel;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged top plan view of the improved ring pull tabstructure;

FIG. 13 is a side view looking toward the left-hand end of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary sectional view looking in the direction of thearrows 14-14, FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken on the line 15-15, FIG. 12;

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 1616, FIG. 12;

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 1717, FIG. 12;

FIG. 18 is a fragmentary view looking in the direction of the arrows1818, FIG. 12;

FIG. 19 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 1 of a smaller sized canprovided with the new full opening container end wall structure;

FIG. 20 is a bottom plan view of the container illustrated in FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is a view similar to FIG. 19 with parts broken away illustratingthe relationship between can top and can bottom wall formations;

FIG. 22 is a vertical section looking in the direction of the arrows2222, FIG. 19 illustrating two cans stacked one on top of the other;

FIG. 23 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a portion of FIG.22, looking in the direction of the arrows 23-23, FIG. 21;

FIG. 24 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view looking in thedirection of the arrows 2424, FIG. 21; and

FIG. 25 is an enlarged sectional view looking in the direction of thearrows 2525, FIG. 21.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First embodiment The inventionis illustrated typically in FIGS. 1 through 18 as applied to one cansize that is larger than the can illustrated in FIGS. 19 through 24.

A typical container or can, generally indicated at 1, is generally ofconventional construction including a cup-shaped body providing sidewalls 2 and a bottom wall 3. The can body side walls 2 are closed atupper end of the can by the improved can end wall structure indicatedgenerally at 4 secured to the side walls 2 by a conventional double seam5. End wall structure 4 has a portion recessed at 6 with respect to thedouble seam 5 (FIGS. 2 and 5); and recessed wall portion 6 is formedwith a curved score line 7 immediately adjacent the double seam 5 andthe upper end of the can side wall 2, the score line 7 thus defining anend panel 8. End panel 8 is completely removable from the remainder ofthe end wall structure 4 when severed along score line 7 to provide afull opening at the top of the can 1. The improved end wall structure 4also includes an improved ring pull tab structure generally indicated at9.

Ring pull tab -9 (FIGS. 1-218 preferably is formed of sheet metal ofsomewhat heavier gauge than the sheet metal from which the endwall 4 isformed. The members 4 and 9, preferably, but not necessarily, may beformed of aluminum. Ring pull tab 9 has a main or top wall 10, and oneend 11 of wall 10 is reduced in width by curved portions 12. A generallycircularly-shaped recess 13 is formed in said one end 11 having aconnected channel portion 14 extending from the recess 13 to the outeredge 15 of said one end 11 of the top wall 10. The bottom wall 16 ofrecess 13 is in the same plane as the bottom wall 17 of channel 14, andwalls 16 and 17 are spaced below the top wall 10. A pair of louvers 18are struck upward from the top wall 10 outside the righthand end ofrecess 13 (FIG. 12) for a purpose to be described.

A ring opening 19 is formed in the other or opposite end 20 of the topwall 10 of member 9, so that recess 13 is located in the one end 11 andopening 19 is located in the opposite end 20 of member 9. Ring opening19 forms a finger hole or ring which may be grasped when the member 9 ismanipulated. Opposite end 20 of member 9 is formed with an outerreversely curved bead 21 extending semi-circularly around the right-handhalf of Opening 19 (FIG. 12). Top wall 10 is formed around the peripheryof opening 19 with an inner reversely curved bead 22 circularlycontinuous in extent. Beads 21 and 22 at the right hand or opposite end20 of member 9 from a false wire bead generally round in cross section(FIG. 5) as indicated at 23.

Member 9 is provided with straight parallel edges 24 extending betweenthe curved portions 12 at said one end 11 and the semi-circular portionat the opposite end 20 of the top wall of member 9.

Parallel edges 24 and curved end portions 12 are formed with outerreversely curved beads 25 which are formed as a continuation of the bead21.

The top wall outer edge at said one end 11 of member 9 is substantiallystraight at either side of channel 14 (FIG. 12) and said outer edge 15is perpendicular to an axis or centerline (such as section line 16-16)passing through the center of opening 19 and the center of recess 13.The fiat wall 17 which is a continuation recess bottom wall 16 and formsthe bottom of channel 14 has a sharply curved rounded nose 26 whichprojects outwardly to the left of top wall edge 15 (FIGS. 5 and 12).Curved nose 26 has a curvature different from that of the curved scoreline 7.

An opening 27 is punched close to the one end 11 of pull ring 9generally centrally through the bottom wall 16 of recess 13 (FIG. 12)for receiving a rivet formation to connect member 9 with end wall 4.This rivet connection 28 for assembling members 9 and 4 may be made in aconventional manner, or the fastening may be accomplished as set forthin Henning et al. Pat. No. 3,346,948.

Bottom wall 16 of recess 13 in member 9 is lanced at 29 with a speciallance shape, the configuration and location of which are of specialimportance. The lance configuration is shown in FIGS. 1 and 12. Lance 29includes a semi-circular portion 30 close to the opening 27 andimmediately adjacent the head of the rivet 28 (FIG. 1). Semi-circularportion 30 then is extended by straight portions 31 at either end whichdivergeoutwardly toward the one end 11 of member 9 (FIG. 12). Divergingstraight portions 31 terminate in small hook-like shapes 32.

The metal in recess bottom wall 16 of member 9 extending between hookportions 32 provides a hinge-like bend area indicated at 33 (FIGS. 6, 7and 8) along which member 9 pivots when the rear pull tab 9 ismanipulated to open the can. The outward divergence of the straightportions 31 of lance 29 provides a maximum length for this hinge area soas to retain maximum strength of the connection between member 9 and theportion 16a of recessed bottom wall 16 within lance 29 and surroundingrivet opening 27.

At the same time, semi-circular lance portion 30 is located as close aspossible to the opening 27 so as to, on the one hand, leave sufficientmetal in the lanced bottom wall portion 16a to provide a strong andstable rivet connection, and so as to, on the other hand, leave as muchrecessed bottom wall metal 16 surrounding lance 29 as possible, toretain stiffness and strength for the portion of member 9 to the left(FIG. 12) of opening 19. This stiffness and strength results from theoffset flat wall portions provided by the top wall 10 and recessedbottom wall 16 at the bottom of recess 13.

The hook-like portions of curled ends 32 of lance 29 prevent the metalfrom tearing outwardly toward the end 11 of member 9 at the extremities.of the straight portions 31 of lance 29, as member 9 is bent along bendarea 33.

It is important, in connection with the new structure, that member 9 bevery accurately located in a proper position with respect to the endwall 4 when the two members are assembled and the rivet 28 is formed.The straight edges 24 of member 9 provide aligning edges to be engagedby the assembly tools in one direction (horizontally across FIG. 12),and the edges 18a of the louvers 18 (FIGS. 12 and 17) provide locatoredges engaged by assembly tools in a vertical direction or perpendicularto the edges 24 of member 9.

The shape and location of the rounded nose 26 at the end of the bottomwall 17 of channel 14 is important in achieving the objectives of theinvention. First of all, the rounded nose 26 as described should projectoutwardly to the left of top wall outer edge 15 (FIGS. 5 and 12) Next,when member 9 is riveted to member 4 (FIG. 5), rounded nose 26 shouldoverlap appreciably the circular score line 7 in member 4. Next, theouter curved beads 25 along the curved portions 12 of the one end 11 oftop wall 10 are cut back and relieved as illustrated by the curved edge34 in FIGS. 12, 13, 14 and 18.

Opening of a can provided with the improved ring pull tab member and endwall structure 4 and the progress of the opening operation areillustrated in FIGS. 3 through 11. The parts in their normal position asassembled on a closed can are shown in FIG. 5. The round portion 23 atthe right-hand end of member 9 is grasped between the thumb and fingerof one hand of the user and pulled upwardly toward the positiondiagrammatically shown in FIG. 6 and also generally in FIG. 3. Duringpivotal movement of member 9 from the horizontal position of FIG. 5 tothe vertical position of FIG. 6, the metal of member 9 bends and pivotsalong the hinge area 33. During this bending the rounded nose 26 wipesalong end wall 4 across a portion of score line 7 as the rounded nosepresses downwardly. This wiping and downward pressing action, because ofthe location and shape of the rounded nose 26 and of the channel shape14 from which the rounded nose 26 projects, cause the nose 26 toslightly indent or reform the end wall metal inside score line 7 to theshape or contour of channel portion 14, as illustrated at 35 in FIGS. 3,4, 9 and 11.

This action, during the wiping and downward pressing of rounded nose 26across score line 7 and during reforming of the metal at 35, initiatessevering of metal in end wall 4 along score line 7 outward of thereformed area 35, with a minimum of effort required to move member 9between the horizontal position of FIG. 5 and the vertical positiondiagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 6.

After the initial severing along reformed area 35, the metal tears fromthe ends of initial severance circumferentially along score line 7 inboth directions quite easily. When the position of the parts generallyshown in FIG. 3 is reached, the end wall metal of the severed portion iscurved concavely laterally of member 9 as illustrated generally at 36 inthe drawings during bending at 37. Meanwhile, vertical pull on themember 9 continues the tearing action of end panel 8 along score line 7as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 7 until the end panel 8 is completelyremoved when it has the shape generally shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. Althoughthe opening action has been described as comprising hinge movement ofmember 9 from the horizontal position to the vertical position and thena vertical pull on member 9, in actual operation these movements arecombined and the vertical pull is exerted while hinging and before thevertical position of member 9 shown diagrammatically in FIG. 6 isreached. Thus, the concavely curved portion 36 bent about bend area 37actually never enters or dips into the interior of the can to the degreeshown on an enlarged scale diagrammatically in FIG. 6.

During the formation of the concave curved shape 36, the end wall metalbends or hinges along an area 37 quite close to the location of the edgeof rivet 28 and spaced from the bend area 33 (FIGS. 6 and 7) because ofthe thinner metal in the end Wall 4 than in the ring pull member 9. Thisspacing is indicated by the clearance 38 in FIGS. 6 and 7. The spacedand offset locations of the bend areas 33 and 37 result in a retractionof the rounded nose 26 along the top of end panel 8 from the location ofthe severed edge 39 of end panel 8 (FIG. 7) for a considerable distanceas indicated at 40 in FIG. 7.

Because the beads 25 are relieved by the curved edges 34 at either sideof the rounded nose 26 (FIGS. 12, 13, 14 and 18), as nose 26 wipes alongend panel 8 and forms the reformed indentation 35 (FIGS. 10 and 11), andas member 9 bends along area 33 and end panel 8 bends along bend area37, and as nose 26 retracts from severed edge 39 as indicated at 40, theone end 11 of member 9 does not engage end wall metal except by theundersurface of channel 14 which reforms the indentation 35. This isillustrated by the clearance illustrated in FIG. 11 between end panel 8and member 9.

In order to assist in initially grasping the right-hand pull ringportion 23 as described, end wall 4 may be formed with a recess 41 andthe right end of the rounded ring portion 23 may be bent upward slightlyas indicated at 42, thus providing easier access to grasp the ring asshown in FIG. 5.

It has been discovered that end wall structures with pull rings intendedto tear out an end panel around a score line 7 generally shown in FIG.1, during the hinging and pulling of member 9, because of stiffness ofmetal in end wall 4, the end wall 4 has a tendency to form convexlyupward in a trough-like manner with the trough extending from left toright from the zone of initial severance viewing FIG. 1. This tendencyhas caused the tearing out operation of the end panel to be difficult.We have discovered further that this difliculty is eliminated, thestiffness relieved, and the undesirable troughlike formation isinhibited from forming, by providing debossed lines or areas indicatedat 43 in the end wall. These debossed lines preferably each should becurved on the same are and should be quite shallow with the concavity ofcurvature facing the location of the rivet connection 28. The firstdebossed indentation at the left, indicated at 43a, preferably shouldextend from either side of the rivet formation :28.

This curved line debossrnent accomplishes a number of results. First ofall, it facilitates a peeling action illustrated in FIGS. 4, 7, 8 and 9of the end panel 8 as it is removed from the can. Next, it prevents adip-down of end panel 8 at the completion of the operation of tearingend panel 8 from the can. Next, it minimizes the lift on the flange 44(FIG. 7) which is left on the can structure as the remainder of the endwall after the end panel 8 is torn out. Also, it strengthens the endwall against retort flexing and flipping up and down of the end wall 4during cooking of food products within a sealed can.

The score line 7 along which the end panel 8 is torn when removing theend panel is located substantially in line With the inside surface 45 ofthe can side wall 2 (FIG. and 7). In accordance with the invention, asecond or inner score line 46 is formed in end panel 8 close to butspaced from score line 7. The inner score line 46 is shallower than themain or tear score line 7. Inner score line 46 acts to relieve mainscore line 7 of movement from flexing incident to changes in relativepressures within and outside of the can during heating of a sealed canfor processing food therein. Thus, flexing of the can end wall 4 duringheating imparts most of the flexing force to the shallower inner scoreline 46 which thus relieves the deeper tear score line 7 of forces whichmight otherwise tend accidentally to fracture main score line 7.

Second embodiment- The improved structure of the invention isillustrated in FIGS. 19 through 25 incorporated as an end wall structuregenerally indicated at 47 for a smaller sized can 48 than that indicatedat 1 in FIGS. 1 and 2. End wall structure 47, excepting for having asmaller diameter, is substantially identical with the end wall structure4 and has the same improved ring pull tab structure 9 assembled theretoby rivet means 28. The same curved debossed lines 49 are formed in theend wall 47 to facilitate the peeling action during removal of the endpanel 50' tearing along score line 51. The rounded nose 26 of ring pulltab 9 slightly overlaps score line 51 in the same manner as described inconnection with FIGS. 1 through 18. In the structure shown in FIGS. 19to 25, the pull ring recess 52 is formed in the end panel 50 beneath theright-hand end of ring pull tab 9 in the'same relative location withrespect to the opening 19 in ring pull tab 9, as illustrated in FIG. 1with respect to the larger sized can 1.

The structure of member 47 differs from the larger sized end Wall 4 inthat preferably a plurality of rounded bosses or knobs 53 are formed inend panel 50 preferably located triangularly at two corners of atriangle, the third corner of which is defined by the rounded nose 26 ofpull ring 9.

The smaller sized can 48 when using the same sized pull ring 9 that isused on the larger can, has a tendency to lean or tilt in one directionwhen cans are stacked one on top of another as illustrated generally inFIG. 22, unless the rounded bosses 53 are provided. The bottom wall 54of can 48 is formed with a series of circular corrugations indicated byinner corrugation 55, intermediate corrugation 56 and outer corrugation57 which not only strengthen and reinforce the can bottom wall 54 butcooperate with various portions of a can 48 nextbelow in a stack so thatcans may be stacked without tilting.

Referring to FIGS. 24 and 25, the rounded bosses 53 engage intermediatebottom wall corrugation 56 to provide two points of support for theupper can 48 stacked on or supported by a similar lower can 48. Thethird point of support is provided by the outer bottom wall corrugation57 supported on top wall 10 at the one end 11 of pull ring 9.

The intermediate corrugation 56 and the inner corrugation 55 in bottomwall 54 of can 48 are progressively ofrset upwardly of the can bottom sothat can bottom wall upwardly offset portions clear the remainingportions of the pull ring (FIGS. 23, 24 and 25) of a can 48 next-belowin a stack. Note in FIGS. 23, 24 and 25 how the upwardly bent portion 42of pull ring 9 still has clearance below the bottom wall 54 of the can48 nextabove.

The improved construction combines a number of im' portant features andadvantages resulting from the shape and location of the lance in thepull tab, from the perpendicular locator means on the pull tab foraccurately controlling the location of the rounded nose with respect tothe end panel, from the shape and location of the rounded nose, from thespace between the hinge areas of the pull tab and end panel, from thecurved debossed lines or corrugations and their location providing easypeeling for end panel removal, from the relationship between thedifferential depth double score lines, and from the rounded stackingbosses or knobs and the bottom wall corrugations cooperating therewith;provides structures which eliminate difficulties encountered with priordevices; and provides structures which achieve the obectlves and solveproblems existing in the art in a simple and readily controlled manner.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevityclearness and understanding; but no unnecessary limitations are to beimplied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art because suchterms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadlyconstrued.

Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is by way ofexample, and the scope of the invention is not limited to the exactdetails shown or described since the features of the invention may beapplied to end walls for difierent sized cans.

Having now described the features, discoveries and principles of theinvention, the manner in which the improved end structure is made,assembled and used, the characteristics of the new construction, and thead vantageous, new and useful results obtained; the new and usefulstructures, devices, elements, arrangements, parts, combinations andsubcombinations, and the cooperative relationship therebetween, andmechanical equivalents obvious to those skilled in the art are set forthin the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In metal end wall construction for a full opening container of thetype in which a continuous marginal outer score line defines a removableend panel in the end wall and in which pull ring tab means is secured byrivet means to the end panel; the combination of a sheet metal memberhaving a top wall forming said pull ring tab means, a channel recessformed in one end of' said top wall, said channel recess terminating ina projecting rounded nose, a pull ring opening formed in the other endof said top wall, the top wall being formed with spaced parallel edgesconnecting said one and other ends, and louver means formed in said topwall having locator edge means extending perpendicular to said parallelside edges.

2. In metal end wall construction for a full opening container of thetype in which a continuous marginal outer score line defines a removableend panel in the end wall and in which pull ring tab means is secured byrivet means to the end panel; the combination of a projecting roundednose formed at one end of the pull ring tab means, a pair of bossesformed in said end panel and projecting upwardly therefrom, and saidbosses being triangularly arranged with respect to the pull tab roundednose, whereby cans closed at one end with the end wall construction maybe stacked one upon another and supported on said triangularly arrangedbosses and pull tab nose end without tilting.

3. In metal end wall construction for a full opening container of thetype in which a continuous curved marginal outer score line defines aremovable end panel in the end wall and in which pull ring tab means issecured by rivet means to the end panel; the combination of a projectingrounded nose formed at one end of the pull ring tab means, said roundednose having a curvature different from that of the curved outer scoreline and normally being located immediately above and extending acrossand beyond said outer score line, means forming a hinge-like bend areain said pull ring tab means between and spaced from said rounded noseand said rivet means, and the end panel having a bend area closer tosaid rivet means than said pull tab bend area, whereby said rounded nosewipes and retracts across said outer score line and reforms metal in theend panel within the outer score line immediately below said nose to theshape of the nose when the pull ring tab means is pulled for end panelremoval and while the pull ring tab means and end panel are bending onsaid spaced bend areas.

4. The construction defined in claim 3 in which a series of spacedcurved debossed corrugations is formed in the end panel presentingconcavity toward the location of the rivet means.

5. The construction defined in claim 3 in which the pull ring tab meansis secured by said rivet means to said one end of the pull ring tabmeans; in which a pull ring opening is formed in the other end of saidpull ring tab means; in which the pull ring tab means is formed withspaced parallel side edges connecting said one and other ends; and inwhich louver means is formed in said pull ring tab means having locatoredge means extending perpendicluar to said parallel side edges.

6. The construction defined in claim 3 in which a continuous inner scoreline is formed in said end panel adjacent to, within, and spaced fromsaid outer score line; and in which said outer score line is scored to agreater depth than the inner score line.

7. The construction defined in claim 3 in which a pair of bosses isformed in said end panel projecting upwardly and triangularly arrangedwith respect to the pull tab rounded nose.

8. The construction defined in claim 4 in which one of the debossedcorrugations extends from either side of rivets means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,723,778 11/1955 Rabak 220-48 X3,366,270 1/1968 Khoury 22054 3,381,848 5/1968 Brown 220-54 3,406,86610/1968 Jasper 220-54 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,215,451 11/1959 France.

GEORGE T. HALL, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 220-97

